Fusion Durashift

18 posts in this topic

Being a disabled driver I purchased a 2003 Fusion with Durashift. Soon after purchasing it, it s developed a noise with a vibration. After being told by several Ford agents (including the main one in Birmingham) that the gearbox is based on the old DAF technology and the rubbing noise is the belt drive rubbing on the variant cones. I decided to buy the fiesta manual and have a look.

Their information was a load of rubbish, its a standard gearbox with electronic clutch and gearshift bolted on, I now feel a lot better as I have been driving a motorhome with similar controls, its called click and Go and supplied by Vehvac technology (have a look at their site). It looks like most of the problems are electronically based.

I have found out that the judder I get when it's warm is the electronic clutch control getting a signal from some other source, a faulty electronic probe or a warped clutch plate. I'm an engineer and feel relived that most of the repairs are under my control and not at the mercy of garage repair rates currently running a £100 an hour. Can Durashift owners with problems post some of the symptoms or solution, we can then have a human database and be well prepared for a visit to the diagnostic man with his magic box, I’m sure we can cut the costs of repairs down.

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I recently, purchased a 2006 durashift fusion (36,500 miles), and initially experienced an awful judder when pulling away, usually just the 1st two standing starts from cold, and very occasionally a light judder when 'creeping' in traffic, once warm no problems at all. The best way I can describe the noise/judder was as if the driveshaft spline had popped out and in, repeatedly for a moment on the few occasions that this happened. However, I also suffered a handbrake seizure some days ago, and in forward/reverse, forward reverse, getting more and more aggressive with the car, the handbrake released and it came up with 'transmission failure' and a warning light on the dash. switched off the ignition and allowed a moment for the ECU to reset, all was well with the gearbox...and....touch wood...my judder/noise problem hasn't manifested itself since.(nor has the handbrake seized again either car had been left standing for well over a week on a hill which I think was the cause of that, initially.)

I have found my local Ford dealer very helpful and forthcoming with info, (probably because I have my company Mondeo serviced there) but he explained to me that there have been very very few issues with the electronic side of things, the clutch plate is just like a normal clutch plate, as is the pressure plate (about €130 for the kit here in Ireland) , and they do wear out probably slightly faster than a normal clutch, read into that what you will, (his words not mine), however, he did mention that there have been a few issues with the hydraulic release bearing unit, (about €170 here in Ireland)

hope this info helps, and thanks for the helpful post, a good idea!

regards

Pete.

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Hi Pete, brilliant mate, believe it or not last week my son said he could smell burning, as the car was juddering I though clutch. It turned out to be the back brake sticking on occasionally. freed it all Ok no Juddering. One other interesting point, when you are accelerating and the side of your foot catches the brake pedal you get the same affect, with the added feeling that the engine is going to land in your lap. Being disabled and having to drive with my left foot this is easily done.

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Hi Bob, I would do but can you visualise my wife driving it whilst talking to her friends. I know woman can multi task but I think it’s asking a bit much. If she asks me for a divorce and wants half the house I might do it. No seriously, I used to do that when I was young, the best was the old mini you just swapped the master cylinders on the bulk head, Mind you that was when I was 16, thought I knew better and the first time I tried it I rammed into the back of my dad Vauxhall victor which was made from the thinnest sheets of steel ever used in a car bodies, I completely demolished his boot.

Just for reference on the Fusion at the side of the accelerator there is about 3” of space behind the plastic facia panel, I cut a bit out and my shoe fits in with ease, it covers an electic plug joint that can be easily redireted. Thanks for the idea, cheers mate.

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Ok latest update on the banging that sometimes happens when I pull off, this happens very infrequently and usually preceeded by a slight shudder.

Got under the motor and pulled and pushed to see if anything was loose. Well one exhaust bracket was a little warn, so replaced it. Fingers crossed (Fusion durashift drivers can do that when driving) I think I have solved it.

The exhaust is so close to the body any loose or warn brackets lifts up exhaust pipe and it hits the underside of the bodywork. Mine was under the drivers seat, have a look sometimes you can just see where its hitting.

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OK here we go again, new problem, the light for gearbox failure came on 3 times last week. Apart from avoiding being rear eneded, it put me off driving for a while. Anyway after phoning the ford dealers they said there isn't any diagnostic check to find out what is wrong. So took it to have the diagnostic on the engine all was correct (no faults) So its the gearbox actuatorS. As I mentioned before its a standard gearbox and all the gearchange and clutch control is done from 2 bolted on actuators. Not paying £100 an hour especially as the mechanic said its trial and error the only way they can find out what is wrong is if you take it in when its not working. (great how do you get it there i asked) They never find any errors if they are intermittent. Going to speak to ford to try and get some diagrams of the actuators and check them out myself. HAS ANYONE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND HAD IT SORTED OUT, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF PEOPLE GAVE ME SOME OF THEIR EXPERIENCES BEFORE I START. Needless to say any information I find will be posted on this site. SO PLEASE SEND ME ANY FAULTS YOU HAVE HAD WITH THE FUSION DURASHIFT AND THE PARTS YOU HAD REPLACED.

PS AGAIN THE SERVICE ENGINEER SAID IT WAS A SPECIAL GEARBOX, IT'S NOT.

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OK here we go again, new problem, the light for gearbox failure came on 3 times last week. Apart from avoiding being rear eneded, it put me off driving for a while. Anyway after phoning the ford dealers they said there isn't any diagnostic check to find out what is wrong. So took it to have the diagnostic on the engine all was correct (no faults) So its the gearbox actuatorS. As I mentioned before its a standard gearbox and all the gearchange and clutch control is done from 2 bolted on actuators. Not paying £100 an hour especially as the mechanic said its trial and error the only way they can find out what is wrong is if you take it in when its not working. (great how do you get it there i asked) They never find any errors if they are intermittent. Going to speak to ford to try and get some diagrams of the actuators and check them out myself. HAS ANYONE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND HAD IT SORTED OUT, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF PEOPLE GAVE ME SOME OF THEIR EXPERIENCES BEFORE I START. Needless to say any information I find will be posted on this site. SO PLEASE SEND ME ANY FAULTS YOU HAVE HAD WITH THE FUSION DURASHIFT AND THE PARTS YOU HAD REPLACED.

PS AGAIN THE SERVICE ENGINEER SAID IT WAS A SPECIAL GEARBOX, IT'S NOT.

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I too have a fusion with durashift problems, 2004 fusion semi automatic. the car broke down on me just over 4 weeks ago, lost gears, nothing showing in panel, no selections available. turned engine off and now can't get it to start. got towed to dealer bought from, couldn't find problems doing diagnostic check so sent it to ford dealer. ford themselves aren't sure but suggest changing the ecu unit which may have damaged the activation motors!

had a few problems leading to this, shudder on first acceleration, non selection of gears, problems with 02 sensor! now completely broken down.

The ECU Unit is approximately £900.00 with the motors assembly costing £400 approximately. Labour will be in the region of £340, giving a possible repair cost of £1,640.00 plus Vat, but no exact costings have been prepared.

Any hints??

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Working at a Ford dealer we see alot of these towed in, and unfortunately it is usually the actuators that are at fault. It does usually put a fault code in the memory though but all your symptoms would point towards the actuator for me. Non-start and no display I'd be looking at the actuators.

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Working at a Ford dealer we see alot of these towed in, and unfortunately it is usually the actuators that are at fault. It does usually put a fault code in the memory though but all your symptoms would point towards the actuator for me. Non-start and no display I'd be looking at the actuators.

Hi Marcy133

Unfortunately for me the finance company nor the garage are interested in this fault as they say the fault was not there at sale about 4 months ago and I am arguing that it was because of the problems that I have had, gears not synchronising, not starting etc, so I am now having to seek legal advice to proceeed or I am going to be left with a car that needs £2000 spent on it that I can't afford and if I terminate the agreement they will hound me for the money so am not in a nice situation! Thanks for your help though

L

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I too have a fusion with durashift problems, 2004 fusion semi automatic. the car broke down on me just over 4 weeks ago, lost gears, nothing showing in panel, no selections available. turned engine off and now can't get it to start. got towed to dealer bought from, couldn't find problems doing diagnostic check so sent it to ford dealer. ford themselves aren't sure but suggest changing the ecu unit which may have damaged the activation motors!

had a few problems leading to this, shudder on first acceleration, non selection of gears, problems with 02 sensor! now completely broken down.

The ECU Unit is approximately £900.00 with the motors assembly costing £400 approximately. Labour will be in the region of £340, giving a possible repair cost of £1,640.00 plus Vat, but no exact costings have been prepared.

Any hints??

I have exactly the same problem. Ford have quoted just shy of £1500 to repair it - I only paid 3K for the car 5 months ago!!! A none Ford dealer have suggested converting to manual. They reckon that it could be done for £500 including parts. Does anyone have any comments or experience with this???

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I have exactly the same problem. Ford have quoted just shy of £1500 to repair it - I only paid 3K for the car 5 months ago!!! A none Ford dealer have suggested converting to manual. They reckon that it could be done for £500 including parts. Does anyone have any comments or experience with this???

Hi octopusann

Just an update on my own situation, after several months of wrangling with the finance company and the financial ombudsman, I eventually had to succumb and obtain an independent engineers report at a cost. The report was done independently by Douglas Reid of Elite Inspections, who I would highly recomment. ( www.eliteinspections.co.uk ). In his report Douglas found several problems which had all contributed to the breakdown, which were actually there when I bought the car! So my problems were actually inherent!

I, too was in the same boat, where I had only purchased the car in the July at a cost of £3495, and it packed in on me in November of the same year. If it had not been for my persistence and Douglas's belief in me when I was describing the problems then I would have given up, but I always felt that I was right as I encountered the problems from the very first day. I also tracked down the previous owner and found that he had exactly the same problems and had spent a fortune on it in the 2 years that he had the car. I contacted numerous papers, car magazines, Ford etc and no one was interested in helping me! If this is a known problem to Ford, irrespective of where you buy the vehicle, I believe they could do more to help.

I believe that if it had not been for the high handed attitude and non co-operation of the finance company involved that this would have been settled long before it was but they threatened me with different scenarios and then lifted the car without my consent and took it down to an auction site in Leeds!

I do know that the car has been sold and I have every sympathy for the new owner and can only hope that whoever has bought it has better luck than me!!

I wish you the very best of luck and hope that you can get a satisfactory conclusion and hopefully a lot quicker than I did.

P.S. After Douglas's report and several phone calls and letters later, I can now say with great joy that my finance agreement has been written off, some payments refunded and the cost of Douglas's report. I certainly didn't make out of it but then thats not why I persisted in fighting, I did it because I believed that I was right, but I would say I broke even. But that in no way compensated for the stress, inconvenience and anxiety that I suffered for almost 11 months!!

I hope this helps someone in some small way. If you have a problem and believe in yourself, fight it. I am not saying the last 11 months have been easy, but if this helps anyone else then I'll be happy!!